HAHNVILLE, LA – President Matthew Jewell has declared a State of Emergency in St. Charles Parish in preparation for Tropical Strom Laura and Tropical Depression Fourteen.

The St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center is closely monitoring the track of both storms, which are expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days.

Residents should begin to prepare their homes for heavy rain and windy conditions by picking up and securing items around their homes, which could cause obstructions to drainage.

Public Works crews continue to clear canals, ditches and catch basins throughout the parish and are ensuring all pump stations are prepared. Additionally, sandbag locations will be open for St. Charles Parish residents and the East and West Bank Bridge Park as well as all neighborhood locations.

For more information on hurricane preparation, visit www.stcharlesparish-la.gov/hurricane or www.getagameplan.org. Residents should also continue to monitor weather forecasts and the storm track.

Stay tuned to local media, Cox Cable Channel 6 or U-Verse Channel 99, www.stcharlesparish-la.gov, 1-888-SCP-9EOC or 1370 AM in St. Charles Parish for further announcements. Parish social media sites will be updated continuously on Facebook and Twitter (@stcharlesgov) or Instagram (stcharlesgovernment).

To sign up for emergency text messages and e-mails, visit www.stcharlesparish-la.gov and click on ‘Emergency Alert System’ on the left side of the page as well as ‘E-Newsletters’ at the top of the page.

For more information on hurricane preparedness and to download a copy of St. Charles Parish’s ‘BE PREPARED‘ guide, visit www.stcharlesparish-la.gov/hurricane.